Teodors Bļugers, who participated in the World Junior Championship in Calgary earlier this year, will represent Latvia again at the World Under-18 Championship in Brno and Znojmo, Czech Republic, April 12-22, 2012.

Blugers, who plays for Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, is seen as the second-best Latvian available in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft to World Junior teammate Zemgus Girgensons. Girgensons is still skating with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL.

Blugers will be joined by Elvis Merzlikins and Roberts Lipsbergs, both whom also represented Latvia at the World Juniors.

Preliminary Roster

Goalkeepers
Ivars Punnenovs (Kloten Flyers, Swiss U20), Elvis Merzļikins (HC Lugano, Swiss U20), Nils Grīnfogels (HK Juniors, MHL-B).

Defensemen
Iļja Makarovs (Liepājas Metalurgs2, Latvia), Edmunds Augstkalns (HK Juniors, MHL-B), Patriks Škuratovs (HK Juniors, MHL-B), Rinalds Rosinskis (HK Juniors, MHL-B), Jānis Eisaks (HK Juniors, MHL-B), Mārtiņš Oskars Freimanis (Liepājas Metalurgs2, Latvia), Krists Apsītis (HS Rīga/Prizma, MHL-B), Kristaps Bazevičs (Alaska Avalanche), Rūdolfs Kalvītis (Shattuck-St. Marys AAA), Matīss Gelažis (EC Rose Redical Graz 99vs, Austria).

Forwards
Nikolajs Jeļisejevs (HK Rīga, MHL-A), Ņikita Jevpalovs (HK Rīga, MHL-A), Roberts Lipsbergs (HK Rīga, MHL-A), Rihards Bukarts (Kapitan, MHL-A), Georgijs Golovkovs (Liepājas Metalurgs2), Edgars Kulda (HK Juniors, MHL-B), Daniels Riekstiņš (HS Rīga/Prizma, MHL-B), Ričards Kondrats (HK Juniors, MHL-B), Filips Plostnieks (HS Rīga/Prizma, MHL-B), Artūrs Ševčenko (HK Rīga, MHL-A), Kārlis Ozoliņš (Liepājas Metalurgs2, Latvia), Edgars Homjakovs (Liepājas Metalurgs2, Latvia), Teodors Bļugers (Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep), Martins Lavrovs (Assat U18, Finland), Rūdolfs Pētersons (HK Rīga95, Latvia), Roberts Šmits (Select Hockey Academy).